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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[September 1, 1912. 



THE BOLIVIAN RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



IN a recently published monograph,* the Bolivian rubber industry 

 ^ has been officially dealt with from various points of view. 

 Starting with a geographical description of the country, its 

 natural wealth and products arc next touched upon; while with 

 a view of completeness, there follows a botanical classification 

 of the chief rubber producing plants, prominence being given to 

 Hevea. 



While the treatment of this subject is to a great extent general 

 in character, the special features of Bolivian rubber culture are 

 likewise dealt with, the text being supplemented by illustrations 

 of the leaves of Castiiloa Ulei Warb, Caslilloa Australis Heinsl, 

 Manihot Claziovii MucU Arg, Siipium Verum Hemsl, Micrandra 

 Siphoiioides Muell Arg, and other varieties more or less identi- 

 fied with Bolivia. 



HISTORY OF RUBBER IN BOLIVIA. 

 Much interest attaches to the historical account of rubber pro- 

 duction in Bolivia. In 1846, the national government instructed 

 the Prefect of the Department of Beni to explore the unknown 

 portions of the rivers Beni, Mamore and Madeira. From 1846 

 to 1880 these regions were infested by cannibals, whose inter- 

 necine conflicts led, however, to practical depopulation. When 

 Dr. Edwin Heath, in 1880, undertook the exploration of the Beni 

 region, he scarcely found any traces of these tribes. 



At that time Bolivian proprietors had been attracted by the 

 profits attending the culture of quinine, which reached the Euro- 

 pean markets through the port of Para. Asiatic competition, 

 however, materially affected the demand for South American 

 quinine, notwithstanding the excellent qualities of the latter. 



In 1863, several Bolivian proprietors conceived the idea of 

 growing rubber, thus furnishing occupation for their hands. 

 Their methods were rudimentary in character, operations being 

 carried on in various islands, from which they extended to the 

 Madeira and other tributaries of the Amazon. The next year 

 (1864) the first serious rubber enterprise was established in 

 Bolivia, at the mouth of the river Yata, a tributary of the 

 Mamore. The crop of that year represented about 1900 pounds 

 and was the first Bolivian rubber produced. About the same 

 time other enterprises started, but do not seem to have been 

 seriously developed, an opinion gaining ground that it was im- 

 possible for Bolivian rubber to compete with the Brazilian 

 product. The former, it was stated, had been found much in- 

 ferior to the latter in the quantity and quality of latex. 



New efforts were made in 1874 and 1875 to promote Bolivian 

 rubber culture, which were attended with success. By 1878 the 

 production had increased to SO tons. About 1880 a veritable rub- 

 ber fever was developed, largely owing to the initiative of Dr. 

 Heath (the American explorer), already referred to. The year 

 1882 witnessed a notable development in the Beni territory which 

 progressed from that time. 



STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION AND EXPORTATION. 

 The history of Bolivian rubber culture is best told by the sta- 

 tistical return since 1890, which forms one of the most interest- 

 ing features of the monograph : 



Tons. Tons. Tons. 



1890 294 1897 1.674 1904 1,569 



1891 345 1898 3,155 1905 1,677 



1892 363 1899 2.140 1906 1,929 



1893 394 1900 3.496 1907 1,830 



1894 632 1901 3,465 1908 2,607 



1895 820 1902 1,903 1909 3,052 



1896 1,140 1903 1,321 1910 3,117 



Although subjected to various fluctuations, the production of 

 rubber in Bolivia has thu.= increased ten-fold within 20 years. 



While Bolivian rubber reaches the world's markets to a large 

 extent through other countries, Bolivia has a custom house sys- 

 tem which shows the ultimate destination of rubber leaving the 

 country. This information is shown for the last five years re- 

 ported upon, in four different forms : 



SOURCES OF PRODUCTION. 



Tons. 



Department of Beni 6,895 



National Colonial Territory 2,955 



Department of La Paz 1,624 



Department of Santa Cruz 1,063 



Total (5 years) (tons) 12,537 



FIVE YEARS' SHIPMENTS. 



Tons. 



1906 , 1,930 



1907 1,830 



1908 2,607 



1909 3,052 



1910 3,118 



Total (5 years) (tons) 12,537 



DESTINATIONS. 



Tons. 



England 7,053 



Germany 2,351 



France 1,959 



Belgium 782 



United States 392 



Total (5 years) (tons) 12,537 



EXPORTING CUSTOM HOUSES. 



Tons. 



Villa Bella 6,319 



Cobaja 2,386 



Porto Suarez 828 



Abuna 569 



Oruro 527 



Taraja 121 



La Paz and others 1,787 



Total (5 years) (tons) 12,537 



EXPORT DUTY. 



The export duty at present in force in Bolivia, according to the 

 law of August 23, 1900, is 12 per cent, ad z'alorem. 



The monograph is replete with statistical information, giving 

 full lists of Bolivian plantations, with names of owners. 



Owing to the proximity of Brazil, various points dealt with 

 aft'cct the interests of both countries, but the above extracts of 

 references purely Bolivian in character reflect the scope of this 

 comprehensive and carefully edited volume, as far as Bolivia is 

 concerned. 



•MONOGRAFIA DE LA INDUSTRIA DE LA GOMA ELASTICA EN 

 Bolivia. (Monograoh on the Bolivian Rubber Industry.) By Manuel 

 V. Ballivian and Gasto F. Pinilla, La Paz, 1912. [354 pages; 8vo.; 

 with appendix of 84 pages.] 



TO PRODUCE CHICLE IN VEKEZUELA. 



The Minister of .Xgriciilture in Venezuela has granted to 

 Jose Patrocinio Cuellar, of Caracas, an exclusive 10-year privi- 

 lege to establish plants for extracting chicle in that country. 

 He is compelled under this concession to do all he possibly can 

 to extend the planting and cultivating of the chicle-gum pro- 

 ducing trees, and if he ceases to operate his concession ac- 

 tively, it lapses at the end of a year of such cessation to the 

 government. This is a new industry for Venezuela. 



